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The rain in Spain...

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After almost 2 weeks seeing a lot of Spain this past month, I can definitely say that when in western Spain in the spring, Rioja gets some rain (not sure if it's just in the plain...)! My wife and parents really enjoyed our holiday there, learning a great deal about the country, the language, and the culture from the history and beauty of the city of Barcelona to the picturesque island of Mallorca, and finally to the wine region of Rioja. Wow. Here are some takeaways: Food - people in Spain eat way differently than us. From tapas to ox tail to Iberico ham, we really enjoyed their Mediterranean cuisine! History - from the origins dating back to ancient Rome, the country is awash in ancient ruins dating back thousands of years. Often, newer buildings are simply grafted onto old ruins - wow. Language - Spain has regions that involve or showcase different dialects of Spanish, Catalan, and even some French and Latin influences. Bon dia in Barcelona and buenos dias in Rioja! Culture ...
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The Fourth Lost 'thing' in Luke 15

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In studying for last week's sermon, it dawned on me that the final part of the chapter reveals that the older brother in the famous prodigal son parable of Luke 15 was ALSO lost.  He was lost in the sense of not embracing the love, compassion, and forgiveness of the father, much like the religious leaders who were critical of Jesus being friendly with the lost and 'men and women of questionable character.'  To be found in Messiah Jesus, our hearts should be in sync with the Father's heart when it comes to other people - especially those who may seem hard to love. Lord, give us a heart transplant today so we can have Your heart towards others! Photo by Daniel Jensen on Unsplash
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Laetare on the 4th Sunday of Lent...

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  In the ancient church tradition of Lent, the fourth Sunday is know as "Laetare" meaning to rejoice. It is the halfway point between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday and reminds followers of the paradox of rejoicing while suffering. The Eastern Orthodox call the season of Lent a 'bright sadness' where we experience joy and grief at the same time. I think I can understand this better the older I get. Something can be two things at the same time like beauty and danger or peace and adversity. Sometimes grief and joy are related. Loss and delight can be brothers and sisters. In a devotional I read today, I read this: As Francis Weller astutely notes, "to be alive and to love means we will also experience sorrow and loss. Acknowledging this reality enables us to find our way into the grace that lies hidden in sorrow. We are most alive at the threshold between loss and revelation." In the paradox of walking with Jesus, sometimes flourishing can appear to be loss...
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Calling on the name of the Lord...

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The first mention of prayer shows up in Genesis 4:26 with the phrase, "at that time, people began to call upon the name of the Lord..." What prompted this? Well, having children seems to be the immediate context, but I wonder, what draws us to prayer? What compels us to call out to the Lord? Is it desperation? Is it frustration? Is it a sense of being overwhelmed? Is it a celebration or thankfulness? Is it a desire for closeness to the Lord? According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, A classic definition of Christian prayer is “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies." What is motivating your prayer today? I believe that no matter what is driving or compelling your calling out to the Lord today, it is all fitting in your relationship with Him! Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -I Peter 5:7 NLT Photo by Amb...
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When and if...and Leviticus!

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For some reason, I've started studying the ancient Hebrew book of Leviticus.  It is the 3rd book of the Torah, and I find it quite fascinating.  One of the things I picked up recently is that in the first 3 chapters, all of the offerings described are 100% voluntary.  Also, those chapters contain no law from the Lord nor any condemnation. It is as if God wanted the people to know how to celebrate their gratitude for being liberated from Egyptian slavery. So whether the offering was burnt, or grain or for peace, it was all about a freewill offering to God for His amazing deliverance. I love how in those early chapters, we read the words "when" and "if" rather than "you must" or "it is decreed by the Lord." I'm excited to explore more in this book! Photo by REGINE THOLEN on Unsplash
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Come, We that Love the Lord

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In my morning time with the Lord, I was moved by these words from Isaac Watts: Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, And thus surround the throne. Isaac Watts, 1674–1748   Manser, M., ed. (2015). Daily Guidance (p. 51). Martin Manser. Now, these words form the first verse of an old hymn we used to sing back in the day at the little First Christian Church of Sheridan, Oregon. Until today, I didn't realize that the title of the hymn was different than the chorus from my childhood memory, which is: We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion! We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God! Truth be told, this hymn has a theological perspective on eternity and heaven that I may push back a bit on now as I'm older, but I love the scene painted by those words of worship in the verse.  I can imagine the disciples of Jesus singing and letting our joys be known, and together surrounding God's eternal throne...
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Trust and transformation

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This past weekend at Dallas Church, one of our preaching team members David taught us through Luke chapter 7.  In his takeaway, he encouraged us to trust Jesus to be transformed. It made me ponder the idea of transformation.  As a kid, I was into the Transformer toys.  I loved how the toys could be 2 different things: both vehicles and, with a few configuration changes, warrior robots. Amazing. As Christ-followers, we are called into transformation by our faith in Jesus.  In choosing to follow Him, we adopt His ways and soak in more and more of His work and teachings so that we are, slowly but surely, made new. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then yo...
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